Kawairashii Kusabana
by DreamPlot
Summary: Kagome's mother holds a secret she can't reveal...
1. Morning After

DreamPlot Drabble: I know this plot is used more often than not, but I can't really seem to get it out of my head. It's just coming out onto the page, so don't be mad, (after all, this _is_ my first story) I actually thought this up a long time ago. I just couldn't write it.

Much-Needed Disclaimer: I do not own _Inu-Yasha_, or any of the characters that will appear currently in this chapter, or perhaps more.

Kawairashii Kusabana (sweet flower (blossom))

Chapter One--Morning After

The rain softly pelted the window, as dawn began its way into the sky, a small amount of light creeping past clouds' small, inbetween, spaces. Dogs were barking somewhere, an alarm clock rang its toll, and the rain's steady thrum became soft pads on the window pane. Through a small crack in the slightly-opened window, the smell of the grass after rain was filling the room with a sweet aroma. The pungent smell of fresh-brewed coffee took over soon though, reached the upstairs corner-room, and the figure underneath the pink, flower-printed blanket stirred.

The morning of Kagome Higurashi had begun.

The birds started chirping incessantly, more alarm clocks went off down the block, even more dogs started barking, and tired feet stumbling from bed and into the hallway not two doors down shattered the delicate peace. This is what Kagome woke up to every morning. She didn't wake up to see dawn creeping through the clouds, or the rain slowly stopping, she didn't smell the wonderful, sweet smell of freshly-wet grass, or the first early-morning birds twittering softly.

By the time she was awake, the first early cars were driving from their houses, hell-bent on getting to work before everyone else, and the late one's alarm clocks bleeping non-stop. She woke to too many birds waking and chirping, too many alarm clocks, and to not the smell of after-rain, but the smell of coffee. So instead of feeling refreshed, ready to begin the day, she felt like turning over and sleeping until 10:00. But, of course, once her eyes were pried open by the insistant sunlight, there was no denying day that satisfaction of waking another.

That, and the fact she had to get to school.

So, starry blue eyes opening, Kagome sat up in bed and stretched. But it was then she remembered that forever-nagging thought: Inu-Yasha was tapping his foot somewhere, (most likely at the edge of the well) waiting, forever-impatient for her to get up and go back to the fuedal era. A scowl on his face, thinking he was about ready to come over and drag her from bed, pajama-clad, grab her half-empty bag, and fly right back out the window, however much she screamed in his ear and pounded his back.

The thought of her grumpy hanyou brought a smile to her face, and a feather-light giggle past her lips.

"Hey sis, what're you so happy about?" Questioned her 9-year-old brother from the doorway, sleeve up against his mouth, which was curled into a yawn. She slid her feet over the side of the bed, fit her feet snugly into her slippers, and stood, padding across the carpet.

"Oh, nothing." was her forever-reply, even though she was smiling from ear-to-ear in the process. Skipping down the stairs, and into the kitchen, (with Souta not far behind) she plunked herself in a seat, and watched her mother turn and question her.

"Dear," Mrs. Higurashi said, smiling lightly. "What would you like for breakfast?" Kagome made a little, confused noise, tilting her head.

"The same thing I always have?" she questioned, taking in her mother's straight-as-a-rod stance and seemingly forced smile. Her heart leapt up into her throat, and she could feel the pulsing of it pumping her life's blood. Her mother's expression was that of sorrow, agony. It was the something she never wanted to come to terms with. _Will you tell me, mom?_ she heard herself think, _Will you come to terms with what you have to say, or will you just stop and pretend everything is alright, like on every other particular day of the year?_

Bringing up the spatula from the half-done eggs that was Souta's breakfast, she smiled wistfully. "Of course, dear. You're right, as always." with an unnervingly happy facade, she returned to the eggs.

"Um...mom, I'm actually not hungry. I'm going to get dressed. Inu-Yasha will be wondering where I am." she made her way, albeit stiffly, to the stairs and up, passing a wondering Souta, who was just coming down.

_Why won't she tell me? Every year it's like this, _she crashed into her room, and onto her bed, clutching a pillow to her face. _every year she never says what she wants to. She just...leaves me hanging. Onto every word, every--_

She jerked up at the sound of a window being violently pushed open. "Hey wench, didn't I tell you to hurry?" _Enter Inu-Yasha, pig-headed, vile,_ she stopped herself in time to catch the words actually form in her head. _N-No! Wonderful, caring, sweet-in-his-own-way Inu-Yasha, who is just actually worried about me._ Wiping the tears from her pale cheeks, she put on her most cheery smile.

"Of course!" she chirped. "I'm sorry to keep you waiting, Inu-Yasha, but I woke up a little late this morning," her smile, cheery talk, and seeming bounciness was just as bad as her mother's fatal acting.

The only reply she got was the ever-reoccuring; "Feh,"

Stumbling from bed once again, she picked up strewn-about clothes, hiding underclothes modestly, throwing about some shirts in search of just the perfect things. "Of course, of course I was wrong, I'll hurry, I'll hurry," she mumbled, pushing into her bag everything she needed. Inu-Yasha gave her an odd look, before toddling to the window and hopping out, onto the branch.

"Crazy," he said, throwing another look at the muted girl.

But Kagome was far from over with her mental self-conversation. _My mom will come clean some time, and I say that day is today. _she affirmed this by nodding. _I'm going to march down there, and demand answers._ So, throwing the growing pile of accumulated clothes onto her bed, she threw open the door and marched downstairs. Though her confidence dwindled to a flickering flame when she saw her mother, hunched over the stove, years older than she had been yesterday, smiling tiredly into the eggs.

"Mom...? I need to talk with you," Kagome stated, somewhat warily.

Her mother looked up, nodding. "Yes, honey. What is it?" the sounds of Souta's video game wafted in from the living room on the breeze, and Kagome sat.

"I need to know what you were about to say." she started, solidly to an amount. Her mother sighed.

"Yes, of course."

DreamPlot Drabble: Dun, dun, DUN! The mother of all cliffies has been administered! Review and find out what the secret is!

_"Only one click,  
__please be sweet.  
__The button's there,  
__so why not give it a try?  
__Be nice,  
__review."_


	2. You Are What You Are, InuYasha

DreamPlot Drabble: Well, here I am, once again! I'm really sorry for the long wait, I've just got my own horror/mystery novel on my mind. :o) Oh, and an FYI, I've decided to make this plot different! Just for a twist, so it won't be the same as all the others!

Much-Needed Disclaimer: I do not own _Inu-Yasha_, or any of the characters that will appear currently in this chapter, or perhaps more.

Kawairashii Kusabana (sweet flower, (blossom))

Chapter Two--You Are What You Are, Inu-Yasha

Kagome's mother took a seat beside her, lightly taking her daughter's small hand into her own. "Kagome..." she started, sighing a bit. "Are you sure you want to know?" Kagome nodded softly.

"Yes, mama. Please tell me…"

Eyes downcasted, she answered. "Today is the day your father left, Kagome." She felt herself stiffen, and then sag even as her mom said this.

"Oh, mom…" she fell forwards to wrap her mother in a hug, tears cascading over her cheeks. "I'm sorry I asked you, I just really wanted to know what was bothering you!" Her mother smiled slightly, her own tears running down her face. She nodded into her daughters shoulder, before pulling back.

"Kagome, that's not all." if she was going to tell Kagome, she was going to tell it all. "Your father was…a very powerful man…persay." she turned her head, and Kagome furrowed her brows, wiping a stray tear from her cheek. She heard her mother take a deep breath. "Kagome…your father's not dead; I left him." Kagome stared at her mother for the longest time--looking for something, anything, to prove she was lying.

"But…but why?" Ms Higurashi shook her head vigorously.

"Kagome, he tested his experiment on you!" Kagome gasped, her heartbeat in her ears as it quickened, pounding louder and louder in her ears.

"Mom, what experiment?"

"…DemonicX. I still remember," she whispered. "it was supposed to be used to turn any human into a powerfully-made killing machine. A...youkai." Kagome could do nothing. She stared, and before she knew it, was overtaken by the dark blanket of unconsiousness.

… … …

"Kagome?" a disturbingly drawn-out voice called. "Kagome…" she mumbled, turning, before opening her eyes. A relieved female voice stated: "Guys, she's alright!" Kagome stared blankly at the ground. _A killing machine_…_so that's what I am. Nothing more._

"KAGOME!" Something crashed into her, and with a lagging sigh, turned to see a little fox child embedded into her side. She turned her head.

"Hello, Shippo…" the kitsune scrambled to see her face, little fingers wiping away the excess tears.

"Kagome, what's wrong?" Jerking herself up, she shook her head. She stood, and at a brisk pace, began to walk towards the well.

A chorous of "stop"'s echoed behind her, and she glared behind her. "No, I will _not_ stop!" _I need answers my mother hasn't given. Like: did the project work? for example!_

"But your mother said--" Sango started.

"Let her go." Inu-Yasha stalked up to them, fury decorating his eyes. "You know what, who cares if she never even comes back?" Kagome felt a pain strike her in the chest. "You know, all she is…is a shard detector." eyes widening, the first thing to touch her emotionally since that revelation…hit. She spun and ran for the well, blocking out the tears that threatened to spill forth.

She collapsed at the edge. _J-Just a_…_**shard detector**._ "You heartless bastard! I-I _hate_ you!" she knew she didn't, couldn't. She pulled herself up and over the well, falling into the dark abyss, which soon turned extraordinary blue. The warm light didn't soothe her, and she pulled herself up the ladder of her present time, and stumbled into her house. Her mother still sat in that same chair, gazing off into space. "M-Mama?"

Her mother stood, knocking the chair to the ground. "Kagome! Oh honey, after that, I thought you'd never come back!" Kagome shook her head, ran to her mother, and buried her head into her shoulder, crying. "Dear, dear, don't cry…please don't." she didn't know what to think: her daughter was crying, and she didn't know what for. It could've been her secret, or something could have happened in the fuedal era. She need to figure it out. "Kagome…what's wrong, sweetie?" Kagome hiccuped.

"Mom…I'm just…a shard detector…" she knew. Inu-Yasha. Kagome pulled away, and wiped her tears. "But…I don't care about that. I need more answers, mom. What happened with the experiment? Did it work? Where's dad? And why did he do that?" her questions were in a jumble.

"Kagome…" her mother sighed. "It worked. It "worked marvelously," as he put it." she fingered lightly a mark on Kagome's shoulder.

"My…birthmark?" Kagome questioned.

"No," her mother edged a fingernail underneath, and Kagome didn't feel anything. Her mother ripped it off to reveal a small metal trinket, flat and silver. Kagome blinked at it, as her mother closed her daughter's hand around it. "There. That is it. DemonicX."

"I don't feel any different." her mother shook her head.

"Now that it's out from under the fake birthmark (and I can't beleive it didn't come off during one of your escapades in the fuedal era) it can be activated."

"Activated?" her daughter echoed, wonderingly. Inu-Yasha pushed to the back of her mind for the moment, she eyed the metal peice in her hand.

"Yes," she sighed. "You'd press this onto your forhead, and it would sink in, activating it. Although, your father said you'd be left with a scar." her mother pointed to the metal chip. "See that pattern? Two large dots, and a small one?"

((Drabble: it'd look like this: 0o0. Except the smaller dot would be underneath the two large ones, and they'd be close together.))

Kagome nodded.

"That would be your "mark". He decided he wanted to make a clan, and that would be the symbol to let you know." her mother smiled weakly. "More tomorrow. Get some rest now, honey." her mother kissed her forhead, and padded up to her own room.

_My own "mark". Something to make me, me._

… … …

Kagome awoke to warm sheets, draped about her body loosely. Her eyes automatically drifted towards her alarm clock. 12:30 °

_Twelve thirty PM? Why didn't anyone wake me!_ Kagome scrambled to get ready. "I'm sooo late!" she then slowed to a sluggish pace. _Wait..._ Inclosed in her palm was the metal chip. …_I have to go back to the fuedal era_…_explain._ She took a deep breath, finished changing and sighed once again. "They need to know. Not Inu-Yasha," she added in sourly, "but Sango and Shippo, and Miroku…"

She supposed, somewhere in her mind she'd forgiven Inu-Yasha. Because she knew he was just jealous. After all, why should she get to be a demon; when he had to suffer his whole life, for nothing?

Kagome stumbled upon a note in the kitchen:

_Kagome,_

_Went out shopping. There's Ramen in the cupboard; seems all we have is Ramen these days. For Inu-Yasha, no doubt. Well, I'll be back later._

_Love you much,_

_Mom._

Kagome sighed at the note, scrawling her own "love you too" at the bottom before exiting the house. She shifted the large yellow bag on her shoulders before hopping down the well, and to the fuedal era. Once her feet touched the ground, she looked up into the pure blue sky.

She took hold of the vines and slowly pulled herself up, throwing her backpack over once she neared the top, then hauling herself over. She lay on her back for a while, just staring up at the sky, before a smile broke her face. _It's so beautiful here._ She sat up, dusted herself off and grabbed her bag, standing.

"Here we go…" she murmured, glancing at the metal chip with apprehension. She trotted slowly towards the village, before noticing a figure leaning against the Goshinboku. She hid behind a different tree, realizing the figure was Inu-Yasha. It was a breathtaking sight when the light hit him: his silver hair shone delicately, his golden-amber eyes looked almost clear; he looked angelic. Especially when he spoke the words:

"Please make Kagome come back, God Tree…" he was murmuring. "I didn't mean to call her that…she's not just a shard detector." a slow smile spread across her face, until she stepped from the tree's shadow and into the light. Inu-Yasha's keen senses picked up crackling leaves, and his head shot up. He glared. "Hey, wench! Can't a guy get some privacy around here?"

She ran towards him, dropping her bag and fell to her knees beside him, quickly enveloping him in a hug. "Inu-Yasha…" she murmured to him, burying her face into his haori. Kagome didn't have time to pick up the small smile, or growing blush as he encircled her in his arms.

After a while, she drew back, and he was his usual gruff self. "So, whaddya want?" Kagome's smile fluttered away.

"When you called me…just a shard detector…" Kagome started, eyes downcasted. Inu-Yasha flinched, and opened his mouth to explain, but Kagome cut him off. "No, no, please let me finish." he snapped it closed. "It made me realize…even more than before…you are what you are, Inu-Yasha. And there's nothing else to it."

She smiled at him, he tentatively smiled back.

"You're right, Kagome. There's nothing else to it."

She took his hand and they walked away, chip left alone in the grass, as it blew away into peices. And there was nothing else to it.

**FIN**

DreamPlot Drabble: I know I could've drawn it out much, much longer, but I wanted to keep it short, fluffy, and sweet; to give you all cavities and full hearts. :o) Thank you for reading.

**Review Answerer:**

**Demonic Devils**: Well, that's what she says. Happy:3

**Silverbloodrain**: (blushies) Thank you!

**Sinner Renegade**: Thanks, and…nice name.

**Aliryn**: Um…the translation of the title is always at the top, beside the title…

**DivineRoseKeeper**: Thanks?

**Keitorin-san**: Mwah ha ha ha (hack, cough). Umm…there's the chapter! And I didn't _really_ leave it hanging this time?


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